Prosper had really very little to say in answer to this. By way of
changing the talk, he asked if the castle were not Goltres.
"You are quite right, sir," replied the other, "it is Goltres; and I
am Spiridion, the lord of Goltres, of a most ancient stock--yet much
at your service."
Prosper bowed to his host, who at once resumed his prying and gazing.
This did not suit the other's temper at all, for he was above all
things a sociable soul. So after a minute he cut in again on another
tack.
"You are a great student, fair sir," said he.
"Yes, I am," said the young man.
"Then may I know what it is you search out so diligently, first in the
book, and then in your bowl of water?"
"Most certainly you may," replied his host. "I seek to find out what
God may be."
Prosper grew grave. "I had thought you a student of fishes," said he,
"but I find you dive deeper. Yet indeed, sir, for my part I think we
had best be content to love and serve God as best we may, discerning
Him chiefly in the voice of honour and in His fair works. Moreover,
Holy Church biddeth us nourish a lively faith. Therefore, as I think,
the harder our understanding of God is to come at, the more abundant
our merit who nevertheless believe."
"That may be so," said the other. "But I can hardly be expected to
love that which I know not, or to believe that which I cannot express.
And as for Holy Church, what Holy Church may consider I know not; but
when you speak of discerning God in honour and fair works, I
understand you, and take up your argument in this manner. For what you
think most eloquent of God may be a beautiful lady."
"God is truly there for me," said Prosper, and thought of Isoult's
good eyes.
"And for me, fair sir," cried his host kindling, "if all women were as
lovely and wise as my friend of late. There indeed was a woman
redolent of God."
"Ah, you are out there, sir," said Prosper; "you are terribly out."
The young man smiled. "Look now, my friend, where we are with our
definitions," said he. "We divide at the onset. Now, say that instead
of a woman, I found a turnip-field the most adorable thing in the
world. Can we both be right? No, indeed. Now my reading tells me of
all the gods whom men have worshipped--of Klepht and Put and Ra; of
Melkarth also, and Bel; of Moloch, Thammuz, and Astarte (a Phoenician
deity). I learn next of the gods of Olympus, of those of Rome and
Etruria; of the Scandinavians, and of many modern gods. Now either
these peoples have made their own gods, in which case I too can make
one; or God hath revealed Himself to some one alone--and then He would
seem to have dealt ungenerously with the others, equally His
creatures, and left blind; or He hath never revealed Himself, which is
against Nature; or He is not. These are the questions I would solve,
if Galors give me time."